Goals
Achievement of the department’s mission is specifically guided by the following goals:
- Maintain a program of excellence in entry-level physical therapy education.
- Promote, support and maintain research and scholarly activities that advance evidence-based practice.
- Provide clinical, educational and professional service to the community, the profession and the university.
These goals reflect the department’s mission and focus on the pillars of education, scholarship and service. The department’s curricular themes of professionalism, evidence-based practice, clinical decision-making and life-long learning are reflected in the expected outcomes of each program goal. A program of excellence in physical therapy education and advancement of professionalism will result in graduates who embrace innovation to transform healthcare to meet societal needs. The promotion of scholarly activity will advance the body of knowledge for the profession while advocating for students and graduates to be life-long learners. Advancement of clinical practice beyond entry-level, through local continuing education in conjunction with state and national conferences, is an educational service to the profession and the general public.
The department strives to advance and encourage evidence-based practice by physical therapy clinicians, which will in turn support our clinical education program through collaborative interprofessional care experiences. The faculty provides service to the university through work on various committees to enhance the academic community and provide input on university decisions to contribute to the college and academic physical therapy mission. The department engages and encourages students to join faculty members in community-engaged advocacy and service to address societal needs for the local community. The inclusion of mandatory service hours for all students in the program instills the value of community service as a primary goal of the department.
Competencies
The following are the competency standards required for accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education:
Standard One
The program meets graduate achievement measures and program outcomes related to its mission and goals.
Standard Two
The program is engaged in effective, ongoing, formal, comprehensive processes for self-assessment and planning for the purpose of program improvement.
Standard Three
The institution and program operate with integrity.
Standard Four
The program faculty are qualified for their roles and effective in carrying out their responsibilities.
Standard Five
The program recruits, admits and graduates students consistent with the missions and goals of the institution and the program and consistent with societal needs for physical therapy services for a diverse population.
Standard Six
The program has a comprehensive curriculum plan.
Standard Seven
The curriculum includes content, learning experiences and student testing and evaluation processes designed to prepare students to achieve educational outcomes required for initial practice in physical therapy and for lifelong learning necessary for functioning within an ever-changing health care environment.
Standard Eight
The program resources are sufficient to meet the current and projected needs of the program.